Feeding mechanism for depositors.



A. L. BAUSMAN.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR DEPOSITORS.

APPLlCATlON FILED OCT. 16, 1916.

1 ,273,988. Patented July 30, 1918..

WITNESS ZjNVENTORw BY k 7,7: I ATTORNEYS.

A. L. BAUSMAN.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR D'EPOSITORS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 15, ISIS.

Patented July 30, 1918. I

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

S Q INVENTOR.

mzmm BY ATTORNEYS WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO LINTON BAUSMAN, 0F CHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORTO NATIONAIi EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A' CO RPORATION 01 MASSACHUSETTS.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR DEPOSITORS.

specification of Letters Patent. Patented 3 0, 1918.

Application filed October 16, 1916. SeriaI No. 125,969.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoNzo LINTON BAUS- MAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Chicopee, in the county of Hampden' and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding Mechanism for 'Depositors, of which the following is a specification. I I

This invention relates to improvements in feeding mechanism for depositors. While the invention is capable of general application, it is particularly adapted for use in connection with an automatic confectionery molding machine, such, for example,as is disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,169,602, granted to me January 25, 1916.

In machines of the type described, automatic {means are provided for emptying trays filled with confectionery molded in starch; for filling-the emptied trays, and uniformly leveling the filled tray; for thereafter forming impressions or recesses in the starch; and. finally for filling the recesses thus formed with a measured quantity of confectionery. The mechanism for moving the trays through the machine operates-intermittently to Inove'the trays a distance slightly greater than their length except for the fillingmeans or depositor, which mechanism necessarily must move by certain steps in accordance with the distance between the recesses in the tray. Consequently, a separate feeding device for the'depositor is customarily provided which operates tomove the trays, by a series of short steps, the same distance in a given time, as does the firstnamed feeding mechanism. It is essential, however, that the two driving mechanisms be coordinated with one another. Further more, although the distance between successive rows of recessesin a'tray are uniform, the distance between the last row of one tray and the first row of the following tray is generally greater than the spacing between the rows in a tray so that special means are 7 necessary to secure this relatively longstep.

The object ofthis invention is toprovide in a machine of the class described an improved means for coordinating the driving mechanism of the depositor'with that part of the machine delivering to the depositor. together with an improved arrangement of the depositor driving mechanism as will be particularly pointed out'an'd defined in the appended claims. 7

Forthe purpose of illustrating one way in V which the invention may be practised, a preferred embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in whi ch Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a depositor showing the invention as applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, certain parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken on the line 3 '3 ofFig. 2

Fig.4 is a View similar to Fig.

the parts in anoth'er position; and v 7 7 Figs. 5 and 6.are fragmentary elevational and plan views, respectively, illustrating a modification of a portion of the depositor driving mechanism. i Referring'to these drawings: jThe depositor has been illustrated merely in conventional form sufficient to show the application of the invention thereto. Much of the usual mechanism has been omitted as unnecessary to an understandingof the invention, and, for a more complete showing of the depositor and the other'devices associated. therewith, reference is made to the above-identifled-patent. 3 Q l The depositor is represented generally by reference A, and b is the usual hopper for containing the confectionery material. Reference 0 indicates nozzles through. which measured quantities of thematerialjin hopper b may be ejected-at properly timed'intervals. Trays d filled with starch? e' and having a plurality of rows ofrecesses f and are adaptedto be moved'step by step beneath nozzles of so that the recesses f may a machine for fillingtraysiwith starch-and printing recesses or molds therein, such as shown in my prior patent, for example.

formed therein are delivered to d epositor 'A These chains 9 extend to the depositor, passing over sprockets '2' fixed to a shaft y' mou'nt-, ed as shown'in the depositor A. Trays d rest directly upon the upper surface of chains g and move between spaced parallel side guides la, suitable runways Z being provided i to support chains 9. The latter are arranged to be actuated intermittently to move trays cl forwardly a distance slightly greater than their own length, particularly, the distance between one lug h and the lug preceding it.

The trays (Z must also be carried through the depositor A an equal distance in an equal time, but must be moved by a series of smaller steps in order that the several rows of recesses 7 may be filled. Thus, with the arrangement of recesses shown in Fig. 2, it is necessary to move the trays intermittently by steps equal to distance between successive rows of recesses or the distance indicated by the dimension m in Fig. 2. To obtain such movements, a pawl and ratchet mechanism is provided which will now be described. The depositor driving chains 10 are not provided with lu'gs, but the trays (Z rest directly on the chains and are carried by frictional engagement therewith through the machine. Chains 10 travel upon and are supported by runways 1'1 suitably mounted in the depositor A and the chains are driven by sprockets 1'2 fixed to a shaft 13 mounted as shown in the ,depositor. Fixed to shaft 13 is a ratchet wheel 14 and in engagement therewith is a pawl 15 pivotally connected to the upper end of a lever 16 loosely mounted intermediate its ends on shaft 13. A link 17, preferably adjustable for length, connects the lower end of lever 16 to a lever 18 pivotally connected. at 19 to the deposit-or frame. The connection between link 17 and lever 18 is preferably of the pin and slot type, the arrangement being such that link 17 may be moved up or down in a curved slot 20, the radius of which is equal to the length of the link so that the throw imparted to the latter may be varied as desired without altering the position of pawl 15 upon the ratchet wheel. Lever 18 is rocked by a link 21 and a crank 22 which latter is fixed to the end of the depositor drive shaft 23. The latter continuously rotates, and it will be obvious that shaft 13 is turned intermittently tocause chains 10 to move step by step by distances equal to the dimension m.

In practice, it is common to have from five to twenty rows of recesses in each tray so that the. driving mechanism just described must be arranged to provide for "ariations in the number of rows. In order that absolutely accurate movements of the trays may be obtained for all the numbers of rows of recesses which may be employed, it a.p pears necessary to have the number of teeth on ratchet 14: equal to the least common multiple of all the numbers of rows of recesses which may be employed. It will be seen that so to do would lead to either a wheel of largediameter or, if the diameter were maintained constant, to exceedingly small teeth. Consequently, a less number of teeth than the apparently necessary number are commonlyused rather than to resort to a wheel of large diameter or very small ratchet teeth,

it being recognized that slight errors in the step by step movements will be obtained in certain instances when the number of ratchet teeth is not exactly divisible by the number of rows of recesses in a tray. Such errors are not sufficient to prevent the material ejected from nozzle 0 from passing into the recesses f unless the error is allowed to mount up by cumulation.

As a means of-reducing the error due to the inexact divisibility of the number of ratchet teeth by certain numbers of rows per tray, the expedient shown in Figs. 5 and 6 may be adopted. Thus, instead of providing a single pawl 15, as described a plurality thereof may be provided as shown at 15. Each pawl is made slightly shorter than the adjacent pawl, and the difference in length between the shortest and longest pawl is made slightly less than the length of a ratchet tooth. rangement is the equivalent of having additional ratchet teeth.

To prevent cumulation of errors in the step by step movement some means must be provided toperiodically move the [rays to correct position, and one such means is shown in my above-identified prior patent. Furthermore,-it is also necessary that provision be made for moving the trays a somewhat longer step than that described in order to bring the first row of recesses of one tray in under nozzles 0 after the last row in the preceding tray has been filled. Such a step is represented by the dimension n in Fig. 2. One means. of accomplishing this result is disclosed in my above-named patent, but I have found that, the means for correcting the cumulative errors in the step by step movements may advantageously be combined with the means for obtaining the relatively long step movement a into a single mechanism which will now be described.

Fixed in brackets secured to depositor A are two parallel rods 27 and rotatably mounted in bearings fixed to rods 27 isa shaft 28 which is arranged below chains 9 in parallel relation with shaft Fixed to one end of shaft 28 is a depending lever 29 which is connected by a link 30 to lever 18 already described. The connection of link 30 to the lever is similar to that describeizl, viz., by a pin riding in a curved slot 31 which latter is,.however, formed in a plate 3-2 secured to the lever 18 in spaced parallel relation as best shown in Fig. 2. The radius of slot 31 is equal to the length of the link 30, and it is to be particularly noted that the center of cnrvature'is the pivotal connection of the link with lever 29 when the latter and lever 18 are in their extreme right hand positions. This arrangement is important since, although the pushers 36 must have dif-.

Obviously, such an ar-- ferent throws for different numbers ofrrows of recesses in a tray, it is essential that the initial positions of the' pushers always remain the same for the trays are always delivered by chains 9 to the same position, vviz., that shown in Fig. 4. Fixed to shaft 28 in axially spaced relation are two upstanding levers 35 and to the upper ends of the latter two bars 36, hereinafter called pushers, are pivotally connected. It will beseenthat, simultaneously with the actuation of ratchet 14:, the pushers 36 are reciprocat'ed and the throw of the latter is arranged to be equal to the dimension n.

In Fig. 4, the parts are shown in the relative positions which obtain just as the chains f/ come to rest. A tray '61 is left in the position shown, having lifted the pushers 36 which thus ride upon the upper edge of the tray until it comes to rest, when they drop behind-thetray into the position shown in Fig. 4, .wherein'the pushers rest upon the side guides k. It is also to be assumedthat the last row of recesses in the tray in under the nozzles 0 have been filled, and pawl 15 is about to move ratchet 14 and thus chains 10 a step equal to the distance m. Such a step, however, will not bring the first row of re cesses f in the following trayin under nozzle 0, but the pushers 36 actuated at the same time as pawl 15 move the tray the requisite distance, and a sliding movement of the tray upon the chains 10 takes place, the extent of which movement is equal to the difference between the dimension n and m. The trays are carried in abutting relation upon chains 10, and the latter move the trays by frictional engagement by small steps m. Now, if these steps are accurately made, the lugs h on chain 9 move an incoming tray just into abutment with a tray being filled and then the pushers 36 merely act to give the relatively long step a. If it be assumed that the pawl and ratchet mechanism cannot be adjusted to give precisely accurate steps in a given instance so that the tray being filled is either slightly ahead or behind its correct position, the operation is as fol lows: In case of a lag, the incoming tray d, always moved by lugs h to the position shown in Fig. 4, would first abut the preceding tray and move it ahead on the chains 10 a distance equal to the error of lag. If the tray is ahead of its proper position, it will not be immediately engaged by the following tray, but the pushers 36 will finally move the incoming tray into abutment with the filled tray and bring the former into correct position. The errors of lag or lead are never great since they represent merely a cumulation of slight errors due to inexact divisibility of the number of ratchet teeth by the number of rows of recesses per tray. With the expedient disclosed in Figs. 5 and 6, these errors are still further reduced. It should be noted that pushers 36 do not-move at uniform speed throughout. their stroke and that their. lTlOVB- ment is gradually increased to a maximum and then decreases gradually-to zero due to thecrank 22. Thus, in case of'an error of lag, the incoming tray moved by pushers 36 is moving very slowly at the time ing the movements inthe following tray.

During the intervalwhen the tray d isbeing moved by the small steps m, the pushers,*although continuously reciprocating'do not operatively engage a tray but ride idly on the 7 side guides 70 or upon the upper edge ofa tray d. a 7

he structure described is characterized j by accomplishing'not only a correct posi- -tioning ofthe incoming tray to coordinate the movements of the driving mechanisms of the tray filling machine and. the depositor, but the. relatively long step movement as well, and these results are obtained by'a single mechanism. Furthermore, by the arrangement of moving the trays in abutment,

through the depositor, the distance between the lastrow of one tray and the first row of a succeeding tray is reduced to a minimum. The importance of this arrangement is apparent when it is considered that each step movement of the tray through the depositor is made in an equal time, irrespective of the length of the step. Thus, if the trays are separated, this distance becomes relatively great and the trays move at relatively high speed in makin the step from the last row of one tray to the first row of the following tray. This movement, if the step becomes relatively long, may be sufficient, on account of the high speed, and the consequently increased shock experienced in starting and stopping, to crack the starch in the tray, loosen the sides of the molded recesses and jar particles of starch into the latter. The danger of accident to the molds in the trays is, however, avoided by the arrangement shown wherein the distances m and n are made as nearly equal as is practical. V

The invention has been described in one preferred form for illustrative purposes, but the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.

W at I claim is r 1. The combination in a confectionery depositing machine, of a tray .conveyer, means to move the conveyer step by step by uniform increments, and a device operable periodically to move the trays relatively to the conveyer to secure an additional increment of movement of thetrays.

2. The combination in a depositor, of a conveyer, adapted to propel trays having a plurality of rows of recesses through the depositor, means to move the conveyer intermittently by steps corresponding to the distance between successive rows of recesses and a device periodically operable to engage and move the trays relatively to the conveyer to increase the extent of movement of the trays.

3. The combination in a confectionery depositing machine, of a conveyer adapted to propel trays therethrough, means to move the conveyer step by step by uniform increments and a continuously reciprocable device arranged periodically to engage and move the trays relatively to the conveyer whereby an additional increment of move ment is imparted to the trays.

4:. The combination in a depositor having a filling nozzle of a conveyer adapted to propel trays beneath said nozzle, said trays having a plurality of recesses adapted to be brought successively beneath the nozzle, means to move the conveyer step by step by increments corresponding substantially to the distance between successive recesses, and an auxiliary device arranged to engage an incoming tray and move it so that the first recess therein is brought exactly under said nozzle, all constructed and arranged to prevent the cumulation of errors in the movement of the step by step means. 1

5. The combination in a depositor, of a conveyer arranged to deliver trays to be filled to the depositor, said trays provided with a plurality of rows of recesses, said conveyer adapted to intermittently move the trays by steps at least equal to their length, a second conveyer arranged to receive the trays from the first conveyer and to move them intermittently by steps corresponding to the distance between successive rows of recesses and a supplementary device periodically operable to move the trays relatively to the second conveyer, said device arranged to coordinate the movements of thetwo conveyers so that each moves the trays an equal distance in an equal time.

6. The combination in a depositor, of a conveyer arranged to transport trays in spaced relation to the depositor, a second conveyer arranged to carry trays through the depositor in abutting relation, and a supplementary feeding device arranged to periodically move a tray upon the second conveyer a distance equal to the difier'ence between the spacing of the trays on the two conveyers, to insure an equal travel of the trays in anequal time by bothconveyers.

' ALONZO LrNroN BAUSMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the (Commissioner of l'atents,

Washington, D. C. 

